The Boring Parts

How do you deal with tedious tasks?  Do you try to avoid them?  Procrastinate until you have to do them?  Unfortunately life is not a steady stream of fun and frivolity. We have to be responsible and diligent to do what needs to be done.  That doesn't rank high often on the pleasure scale, but reality presents us often with chores that need attention or our quality of life diminishes.  These are the boring parts!  So how can one successfully manage them?  As the NIKE ad says...JUST DO IT!  But having a game plan or energetic attitude by focusing on the desirable end results helps greatly in the DOING of it.  In this new drawing I've had a tedious area to push through.  The lettering part wasn't exactly turning my crank, but it needed to be done before I got into the action part where things are happening.  Now I can get on to sketching the story part of this work.  The title to this piece is probably going to be "A Contest of Wills" if that helps to build your curiousity. 

One point I'd like to underscore, though, is that without the tedious work on the lettering, the entire artwork would be lacking in the overall effect.  The boring part is integral to telling the whole story in this drawing.  Keep that in mind with life, as well!

Last weekend my twin nieces graduated from high school with the reception in the backyard. To add to the festive occasion, I drew a 4' x 5' chalk drawing on the basketball court of Madeleine and Megan when they were little girls who loved to sing.  Some of you already saw this post on my Facebook page, but I am running it through again via my blog for others to see as well.  It brought back memories of my last 3 years of participating in the Denver Chalk Art Festival!

On The Verge

The word "verge" means on the edge or border.  Words like "diverge" mean going away from the edge; "converge" is the point where edges join.  So here is my little manikin Michaelangelo, sitting on the verge of my drawing board at the easel.  The metaphor is that I am on the verge of a new piece of work...just at the edges of it and that is exciting.  Sometimes I feel as though I am getting the flu during the time between finishing a piece of work and the conception of a new drawing or painting.  I experience a restlessness in my soul to get at the new work, but other parts of art making and marketing detain me.  Alas!  Finally the new paper is on the easel and the work can begin.  

Also I am on the verge of a new season in my life that coincides with summer.  It is time to get my work out there where I can better connect with those who love the western way of life and wildlife.  So that is getting a lot of my focus and effort.  Remember the boxes in the back of my Bronco several blogs ago?  They are part of the process.  More on all this later!  For now, enjoy the Memorial Day weekend and remembering with gratitude all the many men and women who gave their lives so we could enjoy freedom.  Here's a photo of Michaelangelo saluting all America's fallen heroes!

Some Cheer For You!

"Cowdog Chillin' "

15" x 18"

Watercolor

$450.00

Matted/Framed

It is hard to look at this little cowdog Katy and not smile at her simple solution for a hot July day.  Seeing her sitting in that bucket of muddy water with that look on her face will cheer you up, even on the worst days.  So how about spreading a little cheer around...not only for yourself but for whoever happens to see her.  She'll bring a smile every time you look at her, guaranteed!

Door of Adventure

I've opened the back door to my little Ford Bronco to let you see what lies inside.  Contained within these brown boxes is the Door to Adventure!  Over the next 5 weeks the contents of these boxes are going to be transformed into an entirely different animal.  A metamorphosis will be underway.  What may look like a caterpillar now will hopefully become quite a butterfly! And yes, it does have everything to do with my drawing and painting.  I will keep you posted with photos and updates over the weeks ahead so you can follow the progress and maybe guess what it is that I'm building.

I include this pencil sketch of mine of my youngest son Jacob from 13 years ago.  He turns 20 years old this week, so that means I have no more teenagers left.  A new era for the both of us!

Catch Up!

Catch Up With Katy Dog!

Well, as you can see...Katy is still sitting in the muddy water bucket waiting for me to hurry up and put more to this watercolor painting.  She will get the attention she needs, but this week I've had to divert focus to other areas, although I did have some moments here and there to add brushstrokes of deepening and defining color.

Catch Up on Concerts!

Here's how to really enjoy taking in a good concert....be sure to add pen or pencil and notebook to your pocket or purse, then voila!  You will have captured more than the sounds of the evening.  You will have also embedded the memories of what you were noticing during the concert down on paper as a keeper.  The above photo is from what I observed and heard during the beautiful Omaha Symphonic Chorus performance last Friday night at the new Temple Israel.  Click on the photo for closer inspection.  Notice the beautiful German shepherd seeing-eye dog who was up in the risers with one of the singers.  I captured them resting during intermission.

Catch Up with Artists!

Last night our Papillion Art Creative group of local artists met in Debra Joy Groesser's study and gallery just up the road here in Ralston, another area here in Omaha.  Deb is President of the American Impressionist Society and Show Chairwoman for the Colorado Plein Air Society.  (Plein Air means "painting outdoors")  She has work in numerous galleries around the country including the Abend Gallery in Denver, CO.  Deb shared with us about her art journey and the book she has just finished, "The Legacy of the West:  Abby Williams Hill and Debra Joy Groesser...Two Women Artists Painting a Century Apart" .  She enjoys painting outdoor landscapes of the west.  It was inspiring to ask questions and discuss her process with Deb.  I hope to take part in some upcoming workshops of hers.  

This weekend at the beautiful Lauritzen Gardens here in Omaha, I will be enjoying the Omaha Artists, Inc. show and reception.  So there's lots of art flow going on here.  I think we're all caught up on the latest!  Hope you experience some rich and satisfying moments this weekend!

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag!

I couldn't wait to share this one with you all, so I am letting the cat out of the bag!  This morning before diving into my current piece of artwork, I had to decide on the next painting or drawing project first.  There's a reason for this.  On Saturday I will be participating in another live Artist at Work Show here in Omaha.  The current work I am doing is of Katy the Cowdog in that beautiful blue bucket of muddy water.  And I'm enjoying it greatly!  But I really have to concentrate when it comes to watercolor as it is not my strong suit.  And when you are doing a live at-work show, people are there to interact with you the artist.  I love doing that, being I am an extrovert social person!  But I would lose my focus and probably make Katy come out looking like she was some Martian's alien beast.

 But put a pencil in my hand and I'm good with all that!  So I went ahead and selected my next topic for a drawing that I can work on during the show.  This one has been sitting on the back burner brewing and saying, "What about me?!"   I don't want to totally ruin your suspense, so I covered up most of the photo to let you get a gist of what is involved.  For those of you familiar with my artwork, this one is along the lines of my drawing titled "Boots, Broncs, and Britches".   You can view it on my Gallery page of Graphite/Charcoal Drawings here on this blog website.

Okay...enough said.  Time to dip my brush in the water and get back to working on Katy or she will get tired of sitting posed in that bucket of muddy water and jump out.  Here's an update on her progress so far.  Oh, and she loves snacks!  She'll keep sitting there as long as you throw those little tasty dog biscuit thingies her way.

Coming Up Next....Man's Best Friend

After a lot of wrangling around, I finally landed on my next artwork subject.  She is Katy the cow dog who knows how to take care of a hot summer day.  I love this photo of her as it  seems full of sunshine and cheer.  Animals keep life simple....if you're hot, just jump in the water bucket.  We humans can make issues turn into such complexities.  Thanks to Emmy Seder of Parker, Colorado for the joy of working on her four-footed friend!  

Also, the winner for last week's title contest was Robert Whitbeck of Omaha, NE.  He also noticed that I'd used some colored pencil in the drawing of the horse peering through the corral bars.  The winning title is "Peekaboo!"  Congratulations, Robert...you won the free 8" x 10" print of that drawing!

(click on photos for closer look)